Broadband Internet access has become nearly ubiquitous in most industrialized countries. Internet service providers (“ISP”) employ a variety of technologies, including without limitation digital subscriber line (“xDSL”) technologies, cable more (e.g., “DOCSIS”) technologies, wireless broadband technologies, and the like. In most cases, broadband access is offered using a tiered structure, in which the subscriber (referred to herein as a “customer”) receives a certain allocated bandwidth in return for a given fee (such as a monthly flat fee).
As use of the Internet as a content resource has grown, demands on ISPs have grown. For example, many customers regularly access streaming video and other bandwidth-intensive content using their broadband connections. This increased demand for bandwidth through the provider's network to the Internet has taxed ISP resources. One solution providers have attempted to implement is the use of “local” content delivery networks and/or peering relationships with other providers to deliver the customer's requested content. Other providers have attempted to charge differential rates based on customer usage of bandwidth to the Internet. Societal and regulatory pressures such as the “net neutrality” movement, however, have largely prevented this sort of solution by ISPs.
As a result, both ISPs and customers are left with suboptimal options. The higher costs borne by ISPs to deliver high bandwidth content eventually are passed on to customers, raising customer rates and decreasing customer satisfaction. Accordingly, there is a need for solutions that comply with “net neutrality” obligations but still allow customers flexibility in choosing content delivery options.